Search - Sherman's March on DVD

A wonderful curve ball of a film

Robert Moore | Chicago, IL USA | 08/18/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As the subtitle of this marvelous documentary (?) hints, this is a wildly improbable movie. There actually is little that one can say about the content of it, since its substance lies in its execution and collection of odd and bizarre moments, not in what it has to say. Ross McElwee obtains a grant to make a documentary about the lingering effects of Sherman's march through Georgia in the Civil War, but instead keeps getting sidetracked and obsessed by women he meets along the way. Occasionally it occurs to him that he ought to stop shooting film of the women he yearns for and start worrying about Sherman, but he never can quite force his attention in that direction. The movie may start off as a documentary on SHERMAN'S MARCH, but it morphs quite rapidly in the film's subtitle: AN IMPROBABLE SEARCH FOR LOVE.

I'm not quite sure that this film can truly be categorized as a documentary: it is more of a confessional, an exploration of the McElwee's desire for love. I think it will feel uncomfortably familiar for many of its viewers in a way that a fictional account of the search for love could never be."

Quiet clarity

jefferino_l | Austin, TX USA | 12/11/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ignore those who don't get Ross's schtick. It's transfixing. Ross's stream of conscious commentary on his life as it unfolds in front of his camera lens has a rare clarity and simple unaffected profoundness."

Excellent surprise

Eric | Knoxville | 12/15/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This documentary was difficult to approach but well worth it. Some parts have a very voyeauristic feel to them, like reading someone else's love letters. It seems that the movie wasn't made for anyone but the filmmaker himself. The feelings he experiences are shown with a stark directness that, at first, make you uncomfortable because they come so close to things most of us have felt but will never offer up for such public consumption. His courage should be applauded."

An absolute original......

Brooke276 | Denver, CO | 05/15/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was glad to finally locate this underground classic, and it was worth the wait. While most documentaries take few risks and present talking heads, Ross McElwee dares to tell a subjective, off-the-wall story of loneliness and love, using Sherman's March to the Sea as an outline. Funny, insightful, and full of rich characterizations (except these people are the real deal), this film needs to be seen by a new generation of film lovers. Despite its 2 1/2 hour length, it is brisk and I must say, I was NEVER bored. Quite simply, a brilliant charmer."